


Don't ever scare me like that

by rexluscus



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 21:39:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7657681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rexluscus/pseuds/rexluscus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt ficlet: Kylo dies and Hux realizes he's been wasting time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't ever scare me like that

**Author's Note:**

> Really quick response to [this list of prompts on Tumblr](http://rex-luscus.tumblr.com/post/148277102642/right-to-the-good-parts-prompt-list): 8. "Oh, my God, I thought you were going to die. Please don’t ever scare me like that again." I decided to interpret "were going to die" as " _had_ died," hope that's okay.

“I called you both here,” says Snoke, “because one of you has betrayed me—in his heart, if not yet in deed. Kylo Ren, hand me your lightsaber.”

Hux is no coward, but he can’t help shutting his eyes as the lightsaber crackles to life. He hears but doesn’t feel its serrated plasma blade. Then, confused, he opens his eyes when beside him, Kylo Ren gives a startled choke and crumples to the ground. Snoke shuts off the blade.

“You shall be my witness that justice was executed here today,” Snoke tells him calmly. Hux nods—not looking over at Ren’s body, not once taking his eyes off Snoke’s face. “Tell the others that the traitor has been found and eliminated, General.” Hux nods again, his heart pounding and his throat dry. Snoke says something else that Hux doesn’t hear, or hears and doesn’t process; then Snoke strides briskly from the room, leaving Hux alone with the corpse of his rival.

Every instinct tells him to get out, to flee the place of danger even though the danger has passed. An equally strong impulse tells him to stay. To keep watch over Ren, as little sense as that makes. At last, he makes himself look at Ren, and the pain surprises him, the crushing pang of loss when he sees what he knew he’d see: Ren sprawled on the floor, so small, so very finite in death.

Hux kneels next to him. Resists for several long minutes until he can’t bear it anymore and undoes the latches on his helmet. Eases it carefully off to reveal Ren’s slack, peaceful face. Blood glistens on Ren’s lips and chin; his lashes are dark on his bone-white cheeks. Hux makes a sound, high and shaky. He doesn’t understand, doesn’t know where in his body that sound came from. He _hates_ this man. He can’t possibly be _grieving_.

But that posture of hatred—what a foolish lie it’s all been. He and Ren spent their days preening and circling, proclaiming their dominance, and what a pointless waste of time. What can he say for it? Only that he never looked closely at what was in his heart—never found out if they could have—if perhaps he might have—

Ren sucks in a huge, hoarse breath. Hux flinches and falls back on his ass; when he recovers, Ren’s glittering eyes are open, and he’s panting loudly. Breathing. _Living_.

Hux surges forward and pins him by the shoulders. Shakes him hard, angrily, eyes flooding with shameful tears.

“Ow—” Ren clutches his wrists. “Hux—stop—”

“You were dead!” Hux shakes him hard enough to knock his head against the floor. “Not breathing. Stabbed through the heart. White as a sheet. _Dead_.”

“Being dead _hurts,_ ” Ren says weakly, coughing.

Hux bends down and kisses him. Tastes the blood in his mouth, drops tears onto Ren’s cheeks.

“I _missed_ you,” says Hux. “How did that—happen? I _hate_ you—”

“I know,” says Ren. His big hands frame Hux’s face. “Me too.”

Hux feels close to hysteria. He doesn’t know if anger or fear or elation or some confusing combination of all three is filling his body with static-charged air. “Did the Force do this? Can you Force-users come back from the dead now? Stars, how—”

“Shh,” Ren says, and pulls Hux down into his arms.

He lies with his top half covering Ren’s, feeling Ren’s lungs fill and his heart beat, stroking Ren’s hair, letting terror and joy and awe wash over him in waves.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](http://rex-luscus.tumblr.com)!


End file.
